This invention relates to dispensers for rolled sheet material such as toilet tissue, paper toweling, wax paper or aluminum foil (such as used to wrap edibles), gauze bandages or other body wrappings, and similar flexible strip material including ribbons and wall paper. Such strip lengths are usually merchandized in roll form primarily for cleanliness and ease of handling, and may later be dispensed at time of use directly from the individual wrapper or container, or the roll may first be mounted in a dispensing cabinet which may or may not include other handling mechanism in addition to an axial spindle for the hollow tube which holds the sheets. In any event, withdrawing unequal lengths from the roll from time to time, may present handling problems: if the dispenser lacks flow-retard means, a quick start of the roll may deliver greater than the desired length, resulting in loss or spoilage. Or a close severance at the delivery mouth may leave the user without any projecting tab or fragment to grasp in order to renew the unwinding. In addition, such material as terry cloth or plastics like "saran wrap" have a tendency to resist unrolling due to adjacent surface layers clinging to each other; hence some minimal energy--either manual or mechanical--must be applied for their separation upon unrolling.